O-SD-0.6-Explanatory Statement

Explanatory Statement In offering to the public a discussion of the exist­ence of God, I feel much as did Alexander Camp­bell about his debate with Robert Owen. In his first speech, Brother Campbell explained that he did not intend by engaging in such a discussion to seem to admit that the Christian religion is in need of defense, or that there are reasonable grounds for the rejection of Christianity. God’s Word has nothing to lose by its being contrasted with the theories of its enemies. Truth is never so beauti­ful as when seen in contrast with falsehood. In this debate I have tried simply to present truth, and allow intelligent people to decide between it and what Mr. Smith offered.

I do not pretend to have exhausted the subjects discussed. In fact, the evidence on the Christian side of this question is so abundant that I was not able to offer more than a small percentage of the material available. I believe, however, that the honest student will find in my speeches enough evi­dence of the existence of God and the truth of the Bible to thoroughly ground him in the faith. While I cannot comprehend God, I can acquire working knowledge of His will, which is sufficient for the battles of life. It is said that Rowland Hill was once trying to convey to his audience the greatness of God’s love. Suddenly he stopped and raising his eyes heavenward, exclaimed: "I am unable to reach this lofty theme. Yet I do not think that the smallest fish in the ocean ever complains of the ocean’s vastness. So it is with me. With my puny powers I can plunge with delight into a subject the immensity of which I shall never be able to com­prehend."

Mr. Smith has been very fair about the publica­tion of the debate. He went so far as to say in a letter: "If there is any atheist argument which I have failed to present that you especially desire to refute, put it in my speech where it will fit, and then reply to it in yours." However, I have not taken advantage of this offer. His speeches appear just as corrected by him. By mutual agreement some material has been added to the speeches on the last proposition. I speak much faster than Mr. Smith speaks. This explains the fact that my speeches occupy more space in print than his.

If it seems that I have given undue notice to the degrees and other evidences of scholarship of the men I have quoted, I explain that I did this be­muse of Mr. Smith’s charge that educated people do not believe in God. I am glad to have the in­troduction written by Hall L. Calhoun. Brother Cal­houn is a scholar. He is a graduate from the Col­lege of the Bible at Lexington, Kentucky; a gradu­ate from Yale Divinity School, at New Haven, Connecticut, and has an M. A. and a Ph. D. from Harvard University.

I am much indebted to the good brethren at 3hawnee, Oklahoma, for their co-operation. Broth­ers Will J. Cullum and F. L. Paisley contributed much to the success of the debate. I appreciate the splendid stenographic work done by Miss Blanche Burton in reporting the speeches. I am also grate­ful to Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Petty and Mrs. E. L. Fisher for their assistance in the preparation of the manuscripts. For the material used in the speeches I am obligated to many authors. Many direct quotations from others were used. In these cases, I have given credit to the authors by citing names of books and pages on which quotations are found.

I send this volume forth, asking only a fair examination of the arguments presented; and pray­ing that it may be instrumental in leading some skeptic to faith in the living God, and in strength­ening and encouraging Christians. Rest assured that God’s Book will stand any test applied to it. The feeble blows of infidelity, such as those made by Mr. Smith, will not so much as leave a scar on the Book of God or the Church of God.

"Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
When looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

" ’How many anvils have you had,’ said I,
`To wear and batter all these hammers so?’
`Just one,’ said he; then said with twinkling eye,
`The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.’

"And so, I thought the anvil of God’s word
For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil unharmed—the hammers gone!"

Sincerely,

W. L: OLIPHANT.